A life-sized snow globe, displaying famous Scottish landmarks made from Walker’s Shortbread has been unveiled at Edinburgh Airport, bringing joy to thousands of travellers over the Christmas period.
Located opposite the main entrance to the World Duty Free store at Edinburgh airport, the snow globe will be on display until the 6 January, and forms part of a new festive pop up by Walker’s Shortbread in partnership with Avolta, that will bring the joy of shortbread to life, with a unique and immersive experience for visitors.
Travellers will be taken on a magical journey across Scotland, starting in the Scottish Highlands at Walker’s famous bakery shop in Aberlour. The original Walker’s van is shown travelling down to Edinburgh to deliver shortbread in time for Christmas, with the journey continuing past nine iconic landmarks in Scotland including Fingal’s Cave, Glenfinnan Viaduct, the Wallace Monument, The Kelpies and Greyfriars Bobby.
The eye-catching shortbread structures are designed by food artist, Prudence Staite, who has previously created models of Edinburgh Castle, Burj Khalifa, and other landmarks, entirely out of Walker’s Shortbread.
For a truly captivating immersive experience, the globe will have “snow” inside the display which is accompanied by the scent of freshly baked shortbread, helping transport visitors to Walker’s home in Aberlour. Complimentary samples of Walker’s will also be available.
Bryony Walker, Head of Commercial Strategy at Walker’s Shortbread, said:“The holiday season is a special time filled with excitement, celebration and good-will. We wanted to capture this ‘festive spirit’ and bring it to life within our first ever snow globe while also paying tribute to our Scottish roots which forms a big part of who we are as a brand.
“Above all, we wanted to create a fun and memorable experience for our shoppers to enjoy – whether that’s through tasting our shortbread, seeing the shortbread sculptures or purchasing a special gift for a loved one.”
In the spirit of giving, a personalisation station will open at the pop-up site, providing shoppers with free personalised festive sleeves to wrap purchases of Walker’s Twin Pack of Shortbread Fingers and Walker’s Festive Shortbread Tubes range. To create the special gift, all passengers must do is type their message on the provided screen and a sleeve will be printed on site.
Adding to the festive fun, Walker’s is launching a hamper giveaway where passengers can guess the amount of shortbread in the snow globe. Then by scanning a QR code they can enter their chosen number to join the giveaway, and they can also nominate a loved one to receive the hamper if they win.
Gail Taylor, Chief Commercial Officer at XAero, commented:“We love bringing an extra special twist to Christmas travel so why wouldn’t we combine snow and shortbread!?
“We know many of our passengers always look for that sweet treat as a special gift for someone, and we hope this activity also leaves them with some fun memories as well.”
Jonathan McIvor, Category Manager for Food & Confectionery for Avolta in the UK added, “We’re always looking for novel ways to bring memorable experiences to shoppers. By partnering with forward-thinking brands like Walker’s Shortbread, we can really elevate the shopping experience for our customers.
“Exciting fixtures like Walker’s snow globe will really surprise and delight travellers as they pass through Edinburgh Airport and visit our World Duty Free store.It’s a sensory display that is sure to capture the attention of everyone who passes by!”
Arrival comes after Jet2 winsfive awards at the Scottish Passenger Agents’ Association Travel Awards includingEdinburgh Airport Sustainability Award
Celebrations were in the air on Friday (1st November), as Jet2.com and Jet2holidays welcomed their first new Airbus A321neo aircraft at Edinburgh Airport and marked the occasion with a special customer event.
Customers on Friday’s Edinburgh to Tenerife flight, which is the first flight to be operated on the new Airbus A321neo aircraft from the airport, were surprised by the leading leisure airline and UK’s largest tour operator with a VIP customer experience at the departure gate. As well as receiving a red-carpet welcome, customers were also greeted with cupcakes and discount vouchers offering them money off their next flight or holiday.
The arrival of the first Airbus A321neo aircraft to be based at Edinburgh Airport comes just after Jet2.com were honoured for their sustainability efforts and awarded the Edinburgh Airport Sustainability Award at the 2024 Scottish Passenger Agents’ Association Travel Awards(SPAA) last night (Thursday 31st October).
In addition to receiving this award, Jet2.com won European Airline of the Year and Jet2holidays was named Short-Haul Operator of the Year in recognition of the companies’commitment to delivering a VIP customer service. To cap off a spectacular evening of success, Jet2CityBreaks scooped European City Break Operator of the Year and Aileen Rutherford (Business Development Manager at Jet2holidays) won Leisure Representative of the Year.
To support its ongoing growth and refresh their existing fleet, Jet2plc has a firm delivery stream of 146 new Airbus A321neo aircraft through to the 2035, and today’s celebration at Edinburgh Airport marks the first such aircraft to come into operation fromthe airport.
Including this aircraft, the companies now have ten of the new aircraft in service across three UK airports (Edinburgh, Manchester and Birmingham). For Summer 26, the companies will also operate the new Airbus A321neo aircraft from London Stansted and Glasgow for the first time.
With a capacity of 232 passengers, the new Airbus A321neo aircraft is over 20 per cent more fuel efficient than older aircraft and has a lower noise footprint of 50 per cent. This enables Jet2.com and Jet2holidays to grow more sustainably in line with the demand for award-winning flights and holidays.
The introduction of more fuel-efficient aircraft at their airports is just part of Jet2.com and Jet2holidays’ journey to net zero by 2050, in line with Government targets.
In May, the company published an updated sustainability strategy describing the progress Jet2.com and Jet2holidays have already achieved In The Air, On The Ground and In Resort on their journey to net zero since the publication of their first sustainability strategy in September 2021.
As well as further reducing emissions per passenger, the fleet of new aircraft will support the ongoing growth of Jet2.com and Jet2holidays.
Steve Heapy, CEO at Jet2.com & Jet2holidays, said: “Today is a special day for Jet2.com and Jet2holidays, as we welcome our first brand-new Airbus A321neo aircraft to come into operation at Edinburgh Airport and celebrate five award wins at theScottish Passenger Agents’ Association Travel Awards(SPAA).
“We are extremely proud and grateful for Edinburgh Airport to award us its Sustainability Award and recognise our commitment to sustainability, as evidenced by the arrival of this new aircraft today.
He added: “The addition of this new aircraft at Edinburgh Airport plays a huge role in supporting our continued growth, whilst providing customers with more choice, comfort and quality than ever before.
“As well as enabling us to continue delivering our VIP customer service, the introduction of the Airbus A321neo not only helps us to reduce fuel emissions per passenger but also our noise footprint.
“We are delighted to now have our new Airbus A321neo aircraft based at three airports and have further plans to welcome them at even more of our airports in the future. We look forward to welcoming customers in Scotland on the new aircraft and taking them on their well-deserved holidays.”
Gordon Dewar, Chief Executive of Edinburgh Airport, said:“The whole industry is aware of the need to play its part in the move to Net Zero and an important part of this will be investing in a modern and efficient fleet, something we are seeing today as Jet2.com introduces the first of its A321neo aircraft to operations at Edinburgh Airport.
“This is one of the most advanced aircrafts available on the market and we are thrilled to see it operating out of the capital. It demonstrates the ability to add sustainable growth while maintaining a wide variety of destinations for passengers who are looking forward to a well-earned holiday.”
Children with life-shortening conditions in Scotland and their families were invited to Edinburgh Airport for a special sightseeing flight where they were accompanied by some of Disney’s most popular characters.
On Saturday, 15 children who receive care and support from the charity Children’s Hospices Across Scotland (CHAS) were invited by Loganair to experience Scotland from the skies on a sightseeing flight from Edinburgh up the east coast of Scotland and back again.
In a bid to provide a truly magical experience, Loganair partnered with Wish Upon a Star Kingdom for the annual CHAS flight to bring Elsa and Anna on the journey with them for the ultimate Disney experience.
Additionally, Edinburgh Airport’s iconic mascot, EDI The Pilot was on hand to welcome the children to the airport, flanked by James Smith – a member of the security team – who volunteered his time to entertain the children and soar the skies with them as Batman.
Experiencing flying for the first time as a family were siblings Ruhee, Rayan and Khadijah Mahmood. Their dad Viqar said: “They’ve been looking forward to this for weeks and have been very excited today.
“The excitement reached new heights when Ruhee was able to soar the skies with Batman, and his sisters, who are big Frozen fans and regularly dress as Anna and Elsa at home, were able to join the princesses in the sky.”
In support of the day, British Airways provided access to its lounge in Edinburgh Airport, providing a VIP experience for the children and their families. There they experienced a meet and greet, storytelling and sing-a-longs with the Disney princesses and other characters before taking off to see Scotland from the skies – the first time some of them have experienced a flight.
Reflecting on the day, Viqar said: “The amount of organisation that went into today was worth it when you see their faces.
“They’ve had the best time, thank you.”
Loganair and CHAS have a long-standing relationship having embarked on a partnership three years ago. In June 2024, the regional airline announced it would be adding a voluntary £2 donation option to all its online ticket bookings in a bid to bolster its commitment to the charity even further.
In addition to supporting with monetary donations, Loganair provides flights to CHAS at Home nurses, who support families in remote island communities.
This flight marks the third occasion of the annual Loganair flights for CHAS children and their families across Scotland, with previous flights at Glasgow and Aberdeen Airports. Employees also volunteer at Robin House, one of the charity’s two ‘home from home’ hospices in Balloch, tending to the garden throughout the year and decorating the hospice at Christmas time.
Luke Farajallah, Chief Executive Officer, Loganair said: “It is our upmost pleasure to provide a unique and captivating experience for the children and young people of CHAS – it means a huge amount to the families that take part in the trip.
“The CHAS partnership is something that we value hugely, and we are thrilled to play a part in the lives of these incredibly special young people.
“Every year we are committed to bringing joy and happiness to young people and while the sightseeing flight around Scotland is the icing on the cake, we were pleased to be able to partner with Wish Upon a Star Kingdom this year to make the experience as magical as possible.”
CHAS is a children’s palliative care charity which strives to reach and support children and their families across Scotland who are living with life-shortening conditions, offering much-needed respite and continual care. It is CHAS’ ambition to make sure that no one in Scotland has to face the death of their child alone.
Through its partnership with CHAS, established in 2021, the airline has provided staff nurses and the family support team with flights for CHAS at Home services, offering specialist medical care, vital respite and practical support to families across the country within their own homes.
Nikki Corrigan, Service Manager for Outreach at CHAS said: “Our partnership with Loganair has been invaluable to CHAS in helping us be there for families where they need us most, which for many families is in the comfort of their own home.
“As well as the essential support Loganair provides in helping us reach families in more remote areas of the country, days like this give children and their families the opportunity to have an unforgettable experience together, making joyful memories that will last a lifetime. We can’t thank them enough!”
Loganair would like to extend its thanks to all its partners who have helped to make the special day happen, including Edinburgh Airport, Menzies Aviation and OCS.
Walker’s Shortbread is inviting those travelling through Edinburgh Airport on a sensory journey this summer, with a new pop-up site which invites passengers to ‘experience the joy of shortbread’ through sight, smell and taste.
The activation will run until 2nd September, coinciding with Edinburgh’s Fringe Festival, which drew in travellers from over 170 countries last year.[ii] A whopping 15 million travellers are expected to pass through Edinburgh Airport in 2024.
Walker’s new pop-up looks to encapsulate visitors’ senses, with scents of freshly-baked shortbread, set to transport visitors to Walker’s home-town of Aberlour in the Scottish Highlands. This includes a new feature where shoppers can use the available atomisers to activate the scent.
To celebrate Walker’s provenance and heritage, the impactful space is decorated with eye-catching illustrations of well-known Scottish landmarks featured alongside a 3D replica of Joseph Walker’s original baker’s van. Walker’s iconic tartan presents a running theme throughout the designs, creating a visual, photo-friendly backdrop.
Visitors will have an opportunity to taste Walker’s delicious all-butter shortbread, with plenty of Shortbread fingers samples available.
As they progress on their shopping journey, customers can grab their very own complimentary postcard spotlighting Scottish designs to take away with them.
Shortbread themed signs hanging on the ceiling will also guide shoppers to Walker’s personalised vending machine within the World Duty Free store at Edinburgh Airport, where they can take a digital quiz to help match them to the perfect Walker’s product for any occasion.
Bryony Walker, Head of Commercial Strategy at Walker’s Shortbread, said:“As a proud Scottish brand, Walker’s new pop-up site aims to engage international audiences visiting Edinburgh in an exciting and memorable way.
“We have embodied Scotland’s ‘friendly and welcoming’ reputation, to create something that is not just a shopping experience, but a journey through Walker’s heritage using sight, smell and taste, to bring to life the joy of shortbread.”
Linsey Jordan, Head of Retail at Edinburgh Airport, commented:“Many passengers like nothing better than to stock up on Scottish favourites as they pass through the airport, and as Walker’s Shortbread is always a top choice it’s no surprise this eye-catching installation is proving a big hit.
“As travellers from all across the world come to Edinburgh to enjoy the Festival – and experience the very best of Scotland – we’re pleased to work with Walker’s on showcasing one of Scotland’s most loved treats in a unique way throughout the month of August.”
Jonathan McIvor, Head of the Confectionery Category in the UK for Avolta added, “At Avolta, we know that consumers want to be immersed in unique and memorable shopping experiences.
“Through collaborations with brands like Walker’s, we can deliver on this mission, while bringing heritage and culture to the forefront of what we do. Travellers from all over the world will now be able to visit this exciting pop-up to experience the true essence of Scotland.”
JetBlue flights from New York to Edinburgh taking off
Daily non-stop seasonal service from New York to Edinburgh introduces the airline’s award winning Mint® and Core product offerings to its fifth transatlantic market
To celebrate launch, limited roundtrip fares starting at £399 and $499 in Core and £1999 and $2999 in Mint Available
JetBlue has expanded its transatlantic offerings with new, non-stop flights to Edinburgh taking off from New York.
Daily summer-seasonal service from New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) to Edinburgh Airport (EDI) will operate through September 30, 2024, bringing JetBlue’s signature low-fares and great service to the United Kingdom’s second most popular tourism destination.
This new service, only the second direct offering from New York’s JFK to Edinburgh, provides much needed competition for customers travelling in and out of New York.
“JetBlue has redefined transatlantic travel by introducing low fares and great service in markets dominated by high fare legacy carriers,” said Marty St. George, president, JetBlue.
“We look forward to connecting Scotland and the Northeast this summer with our award winning Mint and core service that will bring this signature JetBlue experience to Edinburgh.”
John Lamont, UK Government Minister for Scotland said: “Our relationship with the US is a special one. We welcome hundreds of thousands of visitors to Scotland and the wider UK from North America every year and it’s also our top export market. This new direct JetBlue route from Edinburgh to New York City will really help strengthen links between our two great countries.
“Just last month, I walked down Sixth Avenue with other representatives from the UK Government as part of the annual Tartan Day celebrations in Manhattan, promoting our most important exports – whisky, energy and financial services, and our rich culture.
“This flight route will make it easier for visitors from the U.S. to come and see for themselves what a uniquely attractive destination we have here, while also easing travel for Scottish visitors wanting to explore the Big Apple and beyond.”
“I’m delighted to see JetBlue’s new Edinburgh to New York JFK flight take off, as it will help enhance Scotland’s direct connectivity to the US and strengthen important links for business connectivity, exports, and inbound tourism,” said Jim Fairlie, Connectivity Minister.
“This is the first time JetBlue has served Scotland and it demonstrates the confidence they have in the Scottish market. It also strengthens Edinburgh Airport’s case for establishing a U.S. pre-clearance border facility to help make travel more seamless and provide added benefits for Scottish businesses and visitors.
“I wish Edinburgh Airport and JetBlue every success with the new service, and I am sure it will be welcomed by travelers in both Scotland and the US.”
“We are excited to welcome JetBlue to Scotland with the launch of this new direct service. North America is our most valuable international visitor market, and we are seeing record levels of demand here, welcoming almost one million visitors last year, surpassing not only pre-pandemic levels but also other parts of the UK,” said Malcolm Roughead, Chief Executive of VisitScotland.
“We know these visitors are drawn to Scotland for a variety of reasons from our dramatic landscapes to our rich history and culture and warm people, with Edinburgh, Scotland’s capital offering a well-connected gateway for exploring the rest of the country.
“These visitors who often stay longer and spend more, are hugely important to Scotland’s tourism industry and wider economy supporting businesses, jobs and communities and why making it as easy as possible for people to visit here with direct access is key.
“Following a difficult few years for the travel and tourism industry, we are delighted to be working with new partner JetBlue to promote this new direct service and encourage more US visitors to choose Scotland for their next holiday.”
Gordon Dewar, chief executive of Edinburgh Airport. “We are excited to see another new airline and tailfin as JetBlue adds Edinburgh Airport to its fast-growing European network.
“Transatlantic travel from Edinburgh has been a real success story and adding more capacity to New York opens up another route for passengers to travel to and from Scotland and the USA, bringing our two countries even closer together.
“It’s always great to see a new airline make its home in Edinburgh and we are really looking forward to welcoming JetBlue’s passengers and our new colleagues to Scotland’s capital.”
Schedule between New York (JFK) and Edinburgh (EDI)
Daily seasonal service starting May 22 (Eastbound) & May 23 (Westbound)(through September 30, 2024)*all times local
JFK-EDI Flight #73
EDI-JFK Flight #72
9:12 p.m. – 9:30 a.m. (+1)
12:30 p.m. – 3:06 p.m.
Flights to Edinburgh will operate daily on JetBlue’s Airbus A321neo with Mint aircraft with 16 redesigned Mint Suite® seats, 144 core seats and Airbus’ Enhanced Cabin with XL Bins. The A321neo with Mint features an average 20 percent increase in fuel efficiency and up to 500 nautical miles in additional range.
The JetBlue Experience
JetBlue, currently the sixth largest airline in the U.S., is known for its unique, customer-focused model that offers great service at an attractive fare. With this new destination, JetBlue is once again disrupting transatlantic service with an elevated experience specially designed for its Airbus A321neo with Mint aircraft.
The airline’s Mint premium experience offers customers fully lie-flat private suites and a custom-designed seat cushion developed by innovative mattress company Tuft & Needle. In addition to countless intuitive design touches, every customer will feel at home in the air with the stylish and reusable Mint amenity kits designed by Caraa, containing popular wellness products from New York-based brands Dr. Dennis Gross and Plus Ultra, and sleep amenities by Tuft & Needle.
Mint customers enjoy delicious, restaurant-style small plates curated by Delicious Hospitality Group’s (DHG) popular New York City restaurants Legacy Records, Charlie Bird and Pasquale Jones. Their inventive culinary style and hospitality expertise brings the best inflight dining experience to Mint tray tables.
JetBlue’s industry-leading core experience offers a new level of service to customers who want an elevated inflight experience at an attractive fare with the most legroom in coach1 as well as innovative, fresh meals by NYC-based culinary partner DIG and a free selection of brand-name snacks, soft drinks, coffee, tea, beer, wine and liquor.
With the recently launched platform, Blueprint by JetBlue™, customers in both core and Mint enjoy a personalized inflight experience through AVANT seatback touchscreens, featuring new ways to watch, save and discover a robust selection of inflight entertainment, including exclusive content from JetBlue’s streaming partner, Peacock. All customers also stay connected throughout the flight with fast, free and unlimited high-speed Fly-Fi2 for a multi-screen experience–just like they enjoy at home.
Book better with JetBlue
To celebrate the launch of new service to Edinburgh, seats are on sale today with low fares for U.S.-originating travelers starting at $499 round-trip for the airline’s awardwinning core experience and starting at $2,999 for JetBlue’s premium Mint experience. Scotland-originating travelers can enjoy special introductory round-trip fares starting at £399 for core and £1,999 for Mint available on jetblue.com3
Customers who book directly through jetblue.com are guaranteed to find our lowest fares and enjoy additional benefits including access to all of JetBlue’s fare options, as well as fare sales and promotions, some of which may not be available through other third parties; the ability to earn 2x TrueBlue points and participate in Points Pooling; seamless seat selections and upgrades to Even More® Space; 24/7 direct access to JetBlue’s customer service channels; and more.
About JetBlue
JetBlue is New York’s Hometown Airline®, and a leading carrier in Boston, Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood, Los Angeles, Orlando, and San Juan. JetBlue, known for its low fares and great service, carries customers to more than 100 destinations throughout the United States, Latin America, the Caribbean, Canada, and Europe. For more information and the best fares, visitjetblue.com.
1) Based on baseline seat pitch of transatlantic aircraft
2) Fly-Fi® is available on all JetBlue-operated flights. Coverage area may vary by aircraft. Details on inflight wi-fi and entertainment:https://www.jetblue.com/flying-with-us
3) New York (JFK) to Edinburgh (EDI) requires round-trip purchase & 3-night minimum stay. Book by 5/24. Travel 5/28/2024 – 7/31/2024. 3-day advance purchase required. Terms apply.
Following consultation with residents and interested organisations in and around the west of the city a final framework for development will be considered by the Planning Committee on 19 December.
Development in the west of Edinburgh forms part of the draft City Plan 2030, currently being considered by the Scottish Government. Therefore, if approved by committee, The West Edinburgh Placemaking Framework and Strategic Masterplan (WEPFSM) will be implemented when City Plan 2030 is adopted. The masterplan would then be used as a material consideration as non-statutory guidance for future planning applications.
The framework was informed by previous work on this area and a 12-week consultation from July to October last year for land extending from Eastfield Road in the west to Maybury junction in the east, with Edinburgh Airport and Turnhouse Road to the north.
There are a range of new opportunities for new homes and other uses in this area as set out in City Plan 2030. The aim is to create new 20 minute neighbourhoods to help Edinburgh toward its housing and net zero ambition, with a range of facilities which people will need to live well locally such as schools and medical centres.
Hundreds of people took part in the consultation either online or in person at drop in sessions or focus groups we held. Meetings also took place with key developers and landowners.
A major theme from the consultation was having excellent transport links in the area including active travel routes and public transport. These objectives are all at the core of the proposed WEPFEM and tie in with the wider Broxburn to Maybury Transport Improvements – a major transport improvement project for area.
The project is funded through the Edinburgh and South East Scotland City Region Deal. The plan is to have better connected communities with major employment, education, healthcare and leisure opportunities easily accessible. This will also make it easier for more people to make a greater number of journeys by bus or by cycling, walking or wheeling.
An overarching vision on how the west of the city could be developed over the next 30 years – Towards West Edinburgh 2050 – was also published for discussion last year.
Planning Convener Cllr James Dalgleish said: “I’d like to thank everyone who took part in the consultation last year. The feedback was really valuable in helping us to finalise our draft framework for committee to consider next week.
“When City Plan 2030 is adopted developers will be able to use this framework as a guide to help us create new thriving 20 minute neighbourhoods to the north of Gogarburn.
“We’re hoping to see more than 3,500 quality energy efficient affordable homes delivered. This will help us address the city’s housing emergency as well as significantly contributing to Edinburgh achieving net zero. The development will have a mix of uses such as retail, schools, healthcare and office space.
“Like other neighbourhoods in west Edinburgh these new communities will need to be well connected to the rest of the city, the wider region and beyond through improved public transport links.
“To help to reduce car use the high density 20 minute neighbourhoods created will need to be supported with a number of new bus and active travel routes and as well as the existing tram line which runs through the area.”
Vodafone customers using and working at Edinburgh Airport are starting to enjoy stronger and faster 5G and 4G following the installation of dedicated mobile phone coverage.
The improvements, led by leading in-building solution supplier Exchange Communications, will ensure Vodafone customers, who make up approximately 14 million passengers who use the airport each year, benefit from both fast mobile data speeds and better call quality in departure, arrival and across the airport terminal.
Meanwhile, businesses in and around the airport will be able to take advantage. Whilst airport employees with Vodafone devices will benefit from the improvements, the introduction of ultrafast Vodafone 5G will also ensure the airport infrastructure has the technology needed to support a range of services – from contactless check-in to digital passport controls – if required.
Denis McIlroy, Head of IT at Edinburgh Airport said: “Whether it is tracking your flight, sending that important email, joining a virtual meeting or simply staying in touch with family and friends you are going or coming to visit, connectivity to reliable 4G and 5G is really important so it’s great to have enhanced that provision at Scotland’s busiest airport.
“Our work with Vodafone will also allow us to continue to make improvements for passengers behind the scenes and deliver a smooth and seamless journey through the airport.”
Tom Sime, CEO of Exchange Communications, said: “Airports are a pivotal part of the UK economy and having deployed 4G & 5G at Edinburgh Airport it now benefits from the reliable wireless connectivity of 5G.
“This project will benefit from enhanced connectivity, resulting in faster connections and quicker streaming for passengers but it will also help enhance the technology working behind the scenes to ensure the smooth and efficient running of the airport.
“Airports have an ecosystem of companies and business who interact with them, jointly delivering services which will benefit from the connectivity of 5G for fast reliable production, intralogistics with full flexibility for future Smart Building technologies and IOT.”
Andrea Dona, UK Network Director at Vodafone, said: “Airports play a vital role in the success of the economy as well as being major employers. So, we’re delighted to be able to support Edinburgh in providing the connectivity they need to support their growth.
“Meanwhile, the arrival of both Vodafone 4G and 5G will offer our customers fast mobile data speeds as they work at the airport or travel through.”
The news is the latest in Vodafone’s ongoing investment in its Scottish network. This includes locations across the country where rural Vodafone coverage has been already boosted as part of the Shared Rural Network (SRN) programme, a £1bn joint initiative between the UK Government and the UK’s four mobile network operators which will see overall 4G coverage extend to 91% of the Scottish landmass.
In January 2022, Vodafone confirmed it would begin to switch off its UK 3G network in 2023, with the spectrum being used to boost its 4G and 5G coverage nationwide.
Significant expansion sees FOUR new routes go on sale in response to strong demand –Rome, Malta, Chambery, and Prague
Jet2.com and Jet2holidayshas today responded to continued strong demand from holidaymakers in Scotland, by announcing significant expansion at Edinburgh Airport. This growth includes four new routes, extra summer and winter capacity, as well as an additional aircraft coming into operation for Summer 24.
The UK’s largest tour operator and third largest airline has added a 7th based aircraft at Edinburgh Airport for Summer 24, enabling them to introduce two new routes for next summer. This gives customers and independent travel agents even more choice and flexibility when it comes to choosing some summer sunshine next year.
The two new routes added for Summer 24 are as follows:
Rome – new Monday and Friday services beginning from 8th March.
Malta – new Wednesday services starting from 1st May.
As well as summer demand, Jet2.com has also experienced strong demand for ski flights from local snow sports fans and has added new flights to Chambery from Edinburgh Airport for Winter 23/24 and Winter 24/25 in response. Chambery offers quick and easy access to world-famous ski resorts in France, including the Three Valleys. The popular ski areas of the Alpe d’Huez, Chamonix, La Plagne and Val d’Isère are also easily accessible from Chambery, providing memorable skiing whether you are a beginner or an expert.
This coming winter, weekly Saturday services will operate to Chambery between 10th February and 6th April 2024. In Winter 24/25, Saturday services will operate from 21st December 2024.
The good news does not stop there, as scheduled winter services and city breaks have also gone on sale to Prague from Edinburgh Airport for Winter 24/25 too.
Services will operate to Prague from the airport from 3rd October 2024 to 27th March 2025, with up to two weekly services (Thursday and Sunday) operating during this time. With long-weekend and mid-week breaks available from Edinburgh Airport, the addition of this city break favourite offers fantastic choice and flexibility when it comes to visiting the Czech capital in winter.
In addition to this, the strong demand the companies are seeing for flights and great value ATOL protected package holidays means the companies have also added thousands of extra seats for Summer 24 to over ten of their most popular destinations across the Canary Islands, Mainland Spain, Turkey, Cyprus, Greece, Croatia and Italy.
The destinations where additional flights and holidays have been added (peak weekly departures from Edinburgh Airport in brackets following the increases) are: Lanzarote (5), Malaga (5), Antalya (6), Bodrum (2), Larnaca (2), Gran Canaria (3), Naples (2), Split (2), Tenerife (8), Verona (2) and Zante (3).
This expansion means that Jet2.com and Jet2holidays will now operate up to 96 weekly flights during peak periods to 32 destinations from Edinburgh Airport in Summer 24, meaning unrivalled choice for holidaymakers departing from the airport. With nearly one million seats now on sale from Edinburgh Airport in Summer 24, this represents a capacity increase of more than 20% compared to Summer 23.
With Winter Sun also proving popular from Edinburgh Airport, today’s expansion sees Jet2.com and Jet2holidays add capacity to Lanzarote, Alicante, Antalya, Fuerteventura and Tenerife for Winter 23/24 and to Alicante, Madeira, Fuerteventura and Tenerife and for Winter 24/25. In addition, the companies will operate services to Malta in Winter 24/25, which is a continuation of their summer services.
Steve Heapy, CEO of Jet2.com and Jet2holidays, said: “Today’s announcement represents a significant investment at Edinburgh Airport and means we are massively expanding our Summer and Winter programmes.
“We are looking forward to our biggest ever Summer 24 from Edinburgh Airport, and this huge expansion to our programme is a demonstration of our continued commitment to investing in our operations at the base ahead of it.
“The demand we are seeing from customers and independent travel agents remains strong, so we have responded by expanding our operations at Edinburgh Airport with new routes, extra capacity and an additional 7th based aircraft for Summer 24.
“As a result, we are giving holidaymakers in the region even more choice to get away on our award-winning package holidays and flights whether that is in the summer or the winter.”
Kate Sherry, Chief Commercial Officer (Aero) at Edinburgh Airport said: “It’s always good news when we expand choice for our passengers, so having more destinations to jet to with Jet2.com next summer will allow people to already start thinking about that special holiday.
“We know there’s a strong market in Edinburgh and the addition of an extra based aircraft for summer 2024 is a real show of commitment from Jet2.com in Scotland’s capital and to delivering seamless travel and more opportunities to explore.”
Key Summer Sun facts for 2024 from Edinburgh Airport include:
32 sun and city destinations on sale (peak number of flights per week in brackets).
Double the All Bar One fun … Popular bar and restaurant chain, All Bar One has opened up a second site in Edinburgh Airport.
Meaning the existing site, near gate 6, is now joined by a stunning new addition by gate 15. The new £1.6 million venue opened its doors in the airport on Wednesday 28th December, so guests can now enjoy All Bar One favourites at both ends of the airport terminal.
The new bar seats 200 people, and is open daily from 4am until 9pm serving up breakfast, brunch, cocktails and low & no alcohol drinks! Whatever your next destination, make sure to stop in at All Bar One on the way.
Speaking about the refurbishment, General Manager at All Bar One Edinburgh, Lewis said: “We are very excited to be opening our brand new second All Bar One unit within Edinburgh Airport, offering travellers somewhere exciting to start their holidays.
“Open from 4am every day we have an exciting range of cocktails, beer and wine along with a fantastic Breakfast and Main menu in our stylish bar & restaurant setting.’’
Following the significant investment made at All Bar One, new jobs have been created for the local area, with the team now ready to pour pints and serve delicious food to guests.
For more information about All Bar One please visit:
Dozens of Edinburgh and the Lothians’ most iconic landmarks, tourist destinations and businesses are being urged to “Light Up Red” in support of the Scottish Poppy Appeal.
From castles to council buildings, schools to statues, Poppyscotland is encouraging buildings across Scotland to take part in the lead up to Remembrance Sunday on November 13th.
The charity hopes to surpass last year’s record total of around 300 buildings taking part nationwide, including Edinburgh Castle, Edinburgh Airport, Cockenzie House & Gardens, and Loanhead Parish Church.
Any building with external lighting can take part simply by adding red gel filters to the flood or up-lights to join Poppyscotland in showing support for the Armed Forces community.
The Scottish Poppy Appeal is Scotland’s biggest fundraising campaign, raising more than £2 million for the charity’s welfare work with veterans, servicemen and women and their families.
Three million poppies, handmade by veterans at the Lady Haig Poppy Factory in Edinburgh, are already on their journey around the country.
Austin Hardie, Director of Poppyscotland, said: “It’s always wonderful to see so many landmarks across Edinburgh and the Lothians lighting up red for the Poppy Appeal. This is a fitting and poignant tribute to our Armed Forces community, and we know it means a lot to them to see this visual support for their contribution, past and present.
“We’ve been delighted how this idea has captured people’s imaginations, and are very grateful for the support of so many businesses and other organisations.
